In today’s gaming industry, the balance between achieving strategic goals and enhancing the patron experience is key to long-term success. Sightline Payments, a leader in integrated payment technology, empowers operators to meet these goals while elevating the overall experience for patrons. Angela Kritz, Senior Vice President of Client Solutions at Sightline, shares how the company’s solutions address the needs of gaming operators and patrons alike across various markets.
According to Kritz, there are four strategic pillars that drive success for gaming operators. “There are some strategic goals consistent across casino and gaming operators which fall into four key pillars, regardless of jurisdiction or market. Those include acquisition of new players, retention of existing patrons, maximizing operational efficiencies, and product optimization,” she explains.
While these pillars are universal, the approach can vary based on market or location. For instance, a brick-and-mortar casino may focus on growing its local customer base, while an online operator might look for broader digital engagement. “How casinos and gaming operators go about executing on those strategic goals can differ by market or jurisdiction. A brick-and-mortar casino, for example, may have a goal of growing their locals’ market, so their new acquisition campaign will be designed around specific incentives and promotions aimed at attracting patrons within a geographic footprint,” says Kritz.
Regardless of the market, one constant is the importance of building loyalty. Retaining customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, and Sightline’s solutions are designed to strengthen these long-term relationships. “Whether you are an online digital gaming operator or a brick-and-mortar casino, a key strategic goal is building loyalty with customers. It’s more expensive to acquire new customers than it is to retain them, and Sightline understands that,” Kritz adds.
At the heart of Sightline’s offering is a focus on patrons’ needs. Kritz emphasizes three main concerns: ease of use, fast access to funds, and security. “Through Sightline’s suite of modern payment solutions, we’ve built and designed products to address patrons’ main concerns: 1) patrons want a payment product that is easy to use, 2) they want a product that provides them with fast access to their money, and 3) they want a product that is secure,” she explains. These solutions are continuously optimized to ensure a smooth user experience, from simplified navigation flows to improved support tools. “We continue to optimize our payment products, investing in technology and tools to enhance the user experience,” she adds.
Sightline’s products also reinforce the gaming operator’s brand, helping build deeper connections with their patrons. “Our payment products put the casino’s brand front and center, reinforcing their brand and building loyalty,” Kritz notes. Additionally, Sightline’s data analytics provide operators with insights into patron spending patterns, allowing them to develop targeted incentives that drive retention and loyalty.
Understanding the complexities of gaming regulations is another area where Sightline excels, Kritz explains: “Gaming regulations differ by markets and jurisdictions; understanding those is critical to how we set up and implement a program.” For instance, certain funding types may be restricted in some areas, and age restrictions vary across regions. “Sightline has controls and limits in place to ensure compliance with the different regulations by market and jurisdiction,” she continues.
Beyond regulatory considerations, Sightline is reducing casinos’ reliance on cash by offering a modern, digital payment suite. “We have reduced the dependency casinos have on cash. By leveraging our innovative, cashless, digital suite of products, we’ve given patrons a way to play and interact that is consistent with how they transact in other areas of their everyday spend,” Kritz explains.
Sightline sees its commitment to innovation and customer service as setting it apart from competitors. “Our differentiator is simple; the patron experience and our gaming operators are at the center of everything we do,” says Kritz. The company’s focus on the customer journey allows it to eliminate friction points and improve the overall gaming experience. “We know that understanding the patron journey from end to end is critical to eliminating areas of friction,” she adds.
Sightline has been a pioneer in bringing integrated payment technology to the gaming industry. “Sightline led the effort to bring cashless to the gaming industry,” Kritz notes. One example is Sightline’s leadership in implementing remote identity verification in Nevada. “We spearheaded the effort to bring Remote ID verification to the state of Nevada; this was a huge milestone to help simplify the process, resulting in earlier patron engagement,” she says. The company continues to refine and optimize this solution, improving speed and increasing approval rates.
Operator feedback plays a critical role in Sightline’s product development. “The most important asset we have is our customers. We listen to them. The feedback we get from patrons and operators has directly resulted in enhancements to our UI/UX and continues to inform our product roadmap,” Kritz explains.
As the gaming industry evolves, Sightline remains at the forefront, delivering solutions that align with operators’ strategic goals while enhancing the patron experience. “Sightline is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the needs of consumers and drive brand loyalty for casinos and online gaming operators,” Kritz concludes. Through its focus on ease of use, security, and personalization, Sightline helps operators stay competitive and build lasting relationships with their patrons.
